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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — As quickly as studies of Craig Counsell’s shock vacation spot circulated on-line, one Nationwide League govt, unprompted, texted a reporter two exploding head emojis together with three letters: WTF. When requested to elaborate, the manager defined, “It’s quite a bit to digest. I’m not certain what’s extra stunning — the place he landed or how a lot he obtained.”
Counsell grew to become the highest-paid supervisor in baseball on Monday, when phrase emerged that he’d be the subsequent Cubs skipper. This was notably notable as a result of the membership already employed a supervisor in David Ross. Now Ross is out of a job and Counsell has a brand new five-year, $40 million deal, the top results of an sudden improvement that despatched shockwaves all through the trade.
Virtually nobody knew about Chicago’s secret courting of Counsell, who had been linked to a number of groups with managerial vacancies. The Athletic spoke to almost a dozen folks across the recreation, granting anonymity as wanted in order that staff of different organizations may communicate freely, to be able to survey the ripple impact that Counsell’s resolution might need on managerial jobs and baseball as an entire.
“About time managers receives a commission what they’re value,” one present big-league supervisor stated. “(Having) no coaches union has harm this a part of our recreation for years. Hate it for Rossy, however love what Craig did for the trade.”
A former supervisor advised The Athletic that he had as soon as been in the identical place as Counsell: provided a job that was at the moment occupied by another person. He declined it as a result of “it simply felt improper” and wonders why the “brotherhood” of managing appears to have passed by the wayside. This former supervisor stated he’s a fan of Counsell, although he doesn’t know him effectively, however identified that the brand new Cubs skipper hasn’t gained a World Sequence and thought the hysteria and bidding battle surrounding him was a bit a lot.
“(Bruce) Bochy? Now if it was Bochy I’d perceive,” he stated of the reigning World Sequence champion Texas Rangers supervisor.
When The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that Counsell would handle in 2024, however it will be for a staff and not using a identified opening, the Rangers have been a typical guess within the trade as his touchdown spot, with the belief that Bochy was retiring and that Counsell was his substitute. Then the remainder of the story got here tumbling out: Per Rosenthal, Counsell was headed to the North Aspect.
“I used to be somewhat like ‘whoa.’ Not shocked as a result of there’s been managers which have made that a lot. However nonetheless, the best way it occurred,” stated Astros basic supervisor Dana Brown, who had curiosity in Counsell for the Astros’ open place on account of Dusty Baker’s retirement. “It was fast. Form of out of nowhere. However I’m blissful for him. He’s been a lifer within the recreation and he’s completed some fantastic issues.”
Mentioned one other former skipper: “Craig Counsell is an elite supervisor. Take a look at his document in one-run video games. Take a look at his document in comparison with projections 12 months after 12 months. He deserves to be paid.”
Some within the recreation consider Counsell’s deal will assist drive up salaries for different skippers sooner or later: “a much bigger piece of the pie,” as one agent put it.
“The reality is, nobody will ever notice their most worth till or except you’re prepared to be a free agent,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated. “That’s simply the actual fact of the matter. Counsell was prepared to try this. Gamers do it yearly. It shouldn’t be checked out as taboo for a supervisor to train his proper to turn out to be a free agent. I believe the trade has form of frowned upon that and I give Counsell loads of credit score and respect for speaking by way of it together with his household and being prepared to try this.”
Others have been skeptical that it will make any significant change.
“Take a look at what the Mets simply paid (Carlos) Mendoza,” stated an American League exec of the Mets new skipper, who’s making $4.5 million whole for 3 years, a lot lower than Counsell. And, even when it’s finally a great factor for supervisor salaries, some questioned the ethics of the Cubs ready to dismiss Ross till Counsell had agreed to take the job.
“The explanation supervisor and coaches’ salaries don’t transfer a lot is as a result of somebody is all the time prepared to take your job,” a present member of a major-league teaching employees stated. “If I had fought for an additional 40K or one other 12 months they wouldn’t have renewed me as a coach. I don’t know the way a lot entrance places of work actually worth (the contributions). I don’t suppose Counsell adjustments that a lot as a result of have a look at what the Mets simply did.
“I believe the one time it will actually change is that if folks actually roll the cube and say, ‘I believe I’m value greater than that,’ and take the chance. However there’s all the time somebody prepared to take your job. We actually must unionize, however have a look at how lengthy it took the minor-league gamers to type a union. It’s nonetheless a tradition of ‘be glad you’ve gotten a job.’”
It’s the “managerial Starvation Video games,” a former supervisor joked earlier than declaring some historical past. The scheme from Cubs president Jed Hoyer took a web page from former govt Theo Epstein, who employed Joe Maddon to take Rick Renteria’s place after the 2014 season. (Renteria’s contract was terminated every week after Maddon opted out of his cope with the Tampa Bay Rays.)
“It’s of their playbook,” stated a former supervisor. “I’m glad Counsell got here out and stated the bar must be set increased for supervisor wage, however I’m undecided I’d have taken a job the place there was a supervisor already in place.”
Are the optics actually that dangerous? Hoyer advised reporters on the GM conferences his job is to win as many video games as potential “within the quick time period and long run” and there was “nothing about this transfer” to get Counsell that didn’t meet that standards.
In that vein, Ross was only a casualty in an trade usually mercilessly looking for an edge.
“For those who take away the emotional facet of it and have a look at it from a pure enterprise standpoint, it occurs in each firm,” stated one other present supervisor, who thinks Counsell’s deal can be good for the opposite 29 groups. “Baseball is leisure, but it surely’s a enterprise and these transitions happen regularly (in enterprise). In our trade, it’s checked out as taboo.”
The identical supervisor believes that the Cubs have been finally doing Ross a disservice by publicly saying he was their man — after which privately attempting to improve.
“If I’m in a company that doesn’t worth me I don’t need to be there,” the supervisor stated. “To me, the intimacy of these relationships (between a entrance workplace and supervisor) are what we’re searching for. My bosses present that in making me really feel valued and grateful for the work I’m placing in.”
Even Counsell’s former boss was shocked.
“I didn’t see that coming,” stated Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, who was with Counsell in Milwaukee. “Craig can play issues fairly near the vest. On this case, clearly he performed it very near the vest, as a result of none of us had any thought of the place this was headed.”
(Prime picture of Craig Counsell as Brewers supervisor: Patrick McDermott / Getty Photos)
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